Depending on the level of fuel in the fuel tank and/or depending on the battery charging status of a motor vehicle, a driver may not be able to reach a desired destination under some circumstance. In order to still be able to reach this destination, it is necessary to start at a gas station and/or a charging column. It is difficult for the driver to predict with what kind of driving and under what other additional conditions one can reach the destination safely without refueling and/or without recharging. In particular when purely electric vehicles are used, one disadvantage is that quick charging columns are not widely available. This can result in significant delays due to the required detours or due to prolonged charging times.
DE 10 2005 037 553 A1 describes a method for driving a hybrid vehicle. The method for operating the electric motor of the hybrid vehicle is selected depending on the travel route, the relevant dates and it also takes into account a charging state of the energy storage device of the hybrid motor vehicle. An operating strategy for operating the hybrid vehicle is thus in this case determined by the geographical travel destination and/or by the destination parameters of the operating strategy, wherein one of these travel routes is selected depending upon the availability of alternative travel routes.
DE 103 06 093 A1 describes a method for determining an optimal motor vehicle consumption and a warning system for warning a driver when sufficient fuel is not available to reach the desired destination. The consumption of fuel is calculated and the driver is warned when sufficient fuel may not be available to reach a fuel station on the way back from the desired destination.
DE 10 2004 047 856 A1 discloses an apparatus for controlling the operation of a motor vehicle provided with a device for detecting ambient and motor vehicle operating parameters, which are processed in a computer unit and displayed on a display device. In order to improve the influence exerted by the driver, an input device is provided through which some of the operating parameters of the motor vehicle can be manipulated during the operation of the motor vehicle.
DE 10 2012 023 632 A1 discloses a method for actively influencing the range of a motor vehicle. A preset travel destination and a first system configuration of the motor vehicle is determined and the remaining range of the motor vehicle and the travel destination are indicated. If this remaining range falls below a predetermined value, the motor vehicle is placed instead into a second system configuration, which results in a reduced energy consumption, for example so that the performance of an air conditioning system and of a driver of the motor vehicle is automatically reduced to a predetermined value. At the same time, an automatic change can take place in an expert system mode so that the driver receives a notice about the predetermined reduction of the performance of the air conditioning and of the drive. For the second system configuration it is then determined which residual range is indicated for the motor vehicle at the travel destination. In the case that the predicted residual range is sufficient, the user can individually adjust and control the operating system and the air conditioning system. DE 103 02 504 A1 discloses a method for determining the residual range of an electric motor vehicle. The range of the of the electric vehicle is determined while taking into account information about the vehicle, the route being driven and information relating to the environment, as well as information about the electric vehicle and a planned route or the route already traveled. Should the driver use too much of the available supply of electric energy for comfort functions, the driver will receive information in this regard so that he can reduce his comfort requirements to the extent necessary in order to reach a certain destination.
DE 10 2012 018 290 discloses an operating device for a motor vehicle by means of which different motor vehicle functions can be activated at the same time with an automatic mode.